Lord Have Mercy

Lord Have Mercy
Scott Williams
Have Mercy On Me is not a phrase that you hear very often. When many of us hear "Have Mercy On Me," we immediately think of the Parable of The Pharisee and the Tax Collector.
You know where the Pharisee prayed to God, "Oh, God, I thank you that I am not like those other people--robbers, crooks, adulterers, or heaven forbid, like this IRS Guy, I mean Tax Collector. I fast twice a week and tithe on all my income." Meanwhile the Tax Collector slumped in the shadows with his face in his hands, not daring to look up, said, "God, Have Mercy On Me... I'm A Sinner."
This story reminds me of the story of a young lady who attends my church. About six weeks ago we had offered for people to come down for prayer at the end of service. This young lady came down and began to share the story of "Livin' la Vida Loca" (livin' the crazy life). She was excited about the fact that she was once that crazy troubled teenager and now she gets to work with troubled youth as a Detention Officer.
As we talked about Juvenile Corrections, I shared the fact that I used to be the Warden of a local Juvenile Correctional Facility. One thing led to anther and I realized that her younger brother used to be one of my kids in the facility. I quickly remembered that I had seen on the news several years back that her younger brother was murdered.
She shared the story of her 19-year-old brother being murdered execution style in 2005. Recalling a knock on the door around midnight one summer evening in 2006, that knock led to her 16-year-old brother going to answer the door. The next thing she remembers is hearing gunshots. One Year after her 19-year-old brother was killed; her 16-year-old brother was gunned down by a group of guys that were coming to kill her.
For years and years she walked around with the guilt that she was responsible for her brothers death. "I felt like I was brainwashed, I was brainwashed into thinking that I was supposed to live that crazy life forever." It wasn't until she quit saying "poor me" and truly humbled herself before the Lord, that things began to change. "I remember getting on my knees, with my face in my hands and tears running down my face."
Understanding that she wasn't worthy, she prayed this prayer "God, I know I'm jacked up and should have probably died instead of my brother. God Make Me Different; Change Me for Real, Lord Have Mercy On Me... I'm A Sinner!"
We all need to pray less like the Pharisee and more like the humble Tax Collector and this young lady (modern day tax collector). God I don't just ask for your forgiveness, God Have Mercy On Me... I'm A Sinner!
I'll close with these words from Jesus talking about the Tax Collector in Luke 18:14 "I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.
Sometimes you gotta get down, so that God can lift you up! Lord Have Mercy!